


The Snow Wolf

by Saku777



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M, Historical Hetalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 21:56:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17009940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saku777/pseuds/Saku777
Summary: A quiet look and reflection on the past and relationship between Belarus and Lithuania and some of the things that tie them together.





	The Snow Wolf

A silky sheet of white covered the ground like a great shroud in the gloom of night, but despite the darkness the Duchy of Lithuania was anything but frightened. Despite being a young boy he was used to such things, and he always felt at home in the woods no matter what. Granted, he was still not far from the castle and hadn’t been gone long. He left the first minute he was able to slip out unnoticed once he had seen that Polotsk had vanished. However once he was outside he saw there was still no sign of her anywhere, so he proceeded to wander into the woods.

Polotsk had indeed gone off there. She found herself quite bored and irritated by the talk at dinner, which thankfully was at least in Ruthenian. Lithuania had adopted her tongue quickly and although that eased some of her wounds, it did not fully stop the resentment she now held towards him due to the fact that he had helped slowly weaken her and had now taken her over. She missed being her own proud principality and at times drearily wondered what Vseslav would think if he saw her now. Death truly was a blessed thing for both of them as much as she missed him.

These thoughts were in her head as she ate and as soon as she wouldn’t be missed she slipped out, went into the snow, and strode into the woods. 

One thing that bothered her lately was that landwise, she often could not tell where she began and Lithuania ended. They were strangely close in a way she could not fully describe, yet ever since she became part of his duchy this was how it had been. She guessed that perhaps Lithuania felt this way too, but there was nothing to be done about it and she did not wish to speak of it. This was her life now. It was partly due to that and partly due to the fact that woods always had a sort of draw on her spirit in and of themselves that she felt safe and at home in them. Even if it was dark and wintertime she still felt safe and still felt as if she knew the woods intimately. As she wandered among the trees with their skeletal branches jutting out into the sky she felt as if something was waiting for her. She was determined to meet it.

“There you are.”

She turned around quickly, scowling when she saw it was Lithuania. She was not surprised however, she had known it was him, she had felt his presence. “Go away, what the fuck are you doing here?” 

Instead he drew closer, “I saw you were gone and I was worried about you, so I wanted to make sure you were alright.” 

She sniffed, “I’m fine and I don’t need your shitty help. I’m looking for something.” 

“What?” he asked. 

She looked out into the depths of the woods as the snow began to fall. Then she closed her eyes, and stood still and silent. Everything around her was silent as well, and one could even hear the snow falling. Then she spoke again. “A wolf, it’s calling to me.”

“A wolf?” asked Lithuania his heart beating rapidly, for oh how he loved wolves.

“I’m sure it’s a wolf.” It was not the season for rusalka, the leshy was asleep, and baba yaga was far away, it had to be a wolf. 

“I’d like to come, I love wolves and I like to think they protect us. I’m sure you heard the story, but after all Gediminas received a sign from a wolf in a dream to put Vilinus here as my capital and oh! My dog is half wolf! They’re such beautiful creatures.”

“Hmpf, it’s always about you isn’t it? I suppose that’s the way of the world. Well this is a real wolf, not a fake one like your dumb dog, but I suppose if you must come then come. It’s up to you, I won’t fucking stop you.” With that she went on walking in the woods. Lithuania followed after her. 

The two walked in silence for some time, but as he looked at Polotsk he felt a sudden impulse to hold her small callused hand. She was such a pretty girl, he thought, and a girl like that should not have such hands. Still they were beautiful because they were hers and he reached out and took one. She turned her head rapidly with a fierce glare on her face, but he didn’t back down. 

As for Polotsk, she didn’t stop him, for the warmth was welcome and to her annoyance and confusion she found that she did not really mind it much. Still, she took the chance to dig her nails into his hand even if they were short. Despite that he still held on, baffling her.

Neither were sure how much time passed, but the darkness deepened and the snow continued to fall all around them. Finally they saw it, standing like a king in a bare clearing before them.

“That’s her,” she said as she felt the creature before her stare into her eyes. It was not a magical wolf, however despite that she still felt a strange tie to it, Perhaps it was from the Polotsk area, or perhaps she was simply tied to all animals with significance to her people. 

As for Lithuania he too felt a tie to the wolf, but in different way than Polotsk. Still he was captivated and enchanted by it and was thankful indeed he decided to follow her due to both her company and the blessing of the white wolf. 

Then he felt a brush of cold against his hand and realized Polotsk had let go of it, leaving only tiny red marks behind. He was about to call out to her, but decided against it once he saw her bold confident stride. It was then he remembered her eyes. Often he noticed that at times they lit up with a fire of strength, steel, and determination. A proud hardiness that had not been bowed despite everything. While in the future those eyes would grow older and more tired and the fire would go out, still a strength remained, despite everything.

Polotsk meanwhile was only focused on the wolf and finally reached it, putting her hands into its warm soft fur and stroking it. The wolf simply looked at her, almost gently, and allowed her to do so. It felt almost like home and reminded her of Polotsk and Vseslav Even if Vilnius should by all rights be hers Polotsk was still where her heart lay.

As for Vseslav he was long dead. Although death was a blessing since he didn’t have to see her misfortune and humans died everyday, still her heart missed and called out for him at times. Perhaps it was foolish but she could not help it and would never be ashamed of her love. 

By this time Lithuania was at her side, unable to hold back much longer so he asked, “Can I touch her?”

She looked at him for a moment then nodded, took his hand in her own, and put it on the wolf. He smiled at both of them and proceeded to gently stroke it/ For a small moment he wondered if Polotsk’s cropped yet pretty hair was as soft as this..

“Hey, do you know why we’re connected?”

He shook his head, “Ah no, will you tell me?”

She looked away and said, “I guess so. I won’t have you stay an idiot for good.“ She laid her head on the wolf, closed her eyes, and then began to speak. “A long time ago in the misty past a tribe lived in the area of the Principality of Polotsk, my home. This tribe was called the Neuri and it was said that they were able to turn into wolves at will. Doubtless there was a Neuri who personified them as you and I do for our peoples. I feel she was a lady, and since my people are partly descended from the Neuri, so they say, she would be something like a grandmother even though there was no chance we would ever meet. Since her people could turn into wolves I’m sure she could too. Their blood and the blood of wolves flows through my veins, I feel it. I have proof too! One of my greatest leaders Vseslav had the power to turn into a wolf as well too. He tried to teach me, but since it was only him by that point it was impossible. But he was a good man and so he comforted me, told me it was alright, and to no longer be distressed, and then taught me other magics.” She opened her eyes, looked up at the inky night sky and sighed. Her heart hurt and felt so empty.

Lithuania meanwhile had no idea what to say. Truthfully he felt a little awkward. He didn’t really care much for Vseslav as he had helped take over his people long ago. He had later grown tired of Polotsk’s rile and cast her off after trying to live with her, but either way a powerful Polotsk was not exactly good news for him. He liked her where she was, as a part of the Duchy, the two of them together. It was good for both of them, he thought, and he was willing to learn more about her and adapt to her ways. 

Despite his conflicting feelings he held he hand once more and asked. ““Do you want him back?”

She turned away and said, “It’s over, he’ll never be back. My wishes mean nothing.”

Her sad little voice tugged at his heart and he said “You don’t have to be sad, I promise things will be good for you and your people and ways. After all aren’t we speaking Ruthenian right now? It’s so charming I’ve come to love it and love using it. It’s just as charming as you.”“ She huffed and stayed silent, but continued to hold his hand as they watched bright starts dot the dark sky above them.

-

Centuries later Belarus was in a different set of woods making a call on her cell phone with a smirk on her face. It went through and she hung up right away. Then she cackled and said, “Number eighty.” But her expression quickly faded as she turned around rapidly at the sound of footsteps. It was Lithuania. 

“What’re you doing?” he asked.

She scowled, “”None of your damn business.” 

He sighed and said, “”Poland’s been calling and calling and I can’t get a thing done. He says someone’s called him almost a hundred times.”

“Eighty, that asshole is exaggerating. My goal hasn’t been reached yet.”

While a mean spirited part of him found it terribly funny, it was also making Poland distressed and that made him bother Lithuania more and more as if he wanted to share his misery. He would never get anything done this way. 

”Why?”

She snorted, “It’s funny.”

He privately thought it was, but said nothing. He also decided to stay, since now he had a good excuse to. Things might have been tense between them, but he still loved Belarus. He had for so long he doubted he could ever stop. 

She turned to him as she made call number ninety and said, “Why the fuck are you-” but just then thee was a rustle from the trees. A large white wolf appeared and with knowing eyes started at the two of them. Belarus dropped her phone and said, “It’s you.” 

Lithuania was startled and wondered if it was the same wolf they had seen so long ago or if Belarus simply knew another. Both were likely. He turned to her and asked, “Is it the same one? Do you still remember from back then during the Duchy?”

She froze and said, “It’s useless to remember certain things. The past is gone and can never return.” She did remember though, and she felt a strange emotion in her heart she could not name, but she hated it and loved it and hated herself for it and hated Lithuania for it as well. Her hands curled into fists and she looked down at her feet.

Lithuania stepped forward to comfort her as she stood ramrod still, like a stature. However the wolf got there first and nudged her with it’s snout. Slowly she took off her gloves, put one still calloused and now scarred hand onto the wolf’s heavy fur, and began to stroke it as she burred her face in it. 

By now Lithuania was convinced it was the same wolf and that it was somehow tied to her, perhaps though the blood of Neuri, long dead and mentioned long ago by her ancestor next to him. “Can I touch her?” he repeated as he had done so when he was a child. 

She glared at him and then nodded as she had done before, but this time she added,“If you don’t she’ll hate you forever.” ‘

He smiled a small faint smile and so began to pet the wolf. After a few minutes he slowly took Belarus’s free hand into his own. She dug her nails into him harshly, but otherwise did nothing else, and allowed him to continue to hold it. Both prank calls and Poland were forgotten the three of them stayed there for quite some time.

**Author's Note:**

> Belarus is referred to as Polotsk in the first part as a child
> 
> -
> 
> The Neuri were allegedly a tribe that once lived in modern day Belarus. It was said they were magicians, could turn into wolves and were chased from their previous homeland by serpents
> 
> The Principality of Polotsk was a principality associated with Kieven Rus. It's greatest ruler was Vseslav the magician who was said to be able to turn into a wolf. During the principality's golden age it was rather independent and even took over the lands where the Lithuanians lived. However it declined and in 1240 after a gradual takeover it became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
> 
> Gediminas was Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1315 . It was said in 1322 he received a dream of a iron wolf howling on a hill and saw it as a sign he should establish the capital Vilnius there.


End file.
